Judge Ties First-Inning Homer Record, Hits 343rd

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has tied Mark McGwire's record with 11 first-inning home runs through the team's first 78 games, matching the mark McGwire set in 2000. Judge's 11th first-inning homer, a solo shot against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, brought his season home run total to 28, ranking him second in the majors. This milestone also moved Judge past Hank Aaron into seventh place for most career home runs in a player's first 10 MLB seasons, now totaling 343. The Yankees lost to the Reds in a tense game that saw Jazz Chisholm Jr. ejected after a controversial strike call, despite Judge's attempt to calm the situation. Chisholm's ejection prompted tactical adjustments for the Yankees, underscoring the impact of game-day incidents on team performance. Judge remains a consistent offensive force as the Yankees navigate team challenges and pursue further records.